Aberration
by x8xdanix6x
Summary: Their friendship was an aberration but when their lives are threatened, there is nothing they wouldn't do to save the other. LLPxSHM
1. Chapter 1

**Aberration**

_Their friendship was an aberration but when their lives are threatened, there is nothing they wouldn't do to save the other. LLPxSHM_

**Chapter one**

Lily Luna Potter sat at the bar of the Leaky Cauldron nursing a tumbler of firewhiskey on the rocks. She was in one foul mood which unfortunately wasn't a rare occurrence. She was well known to have an unpredictable and explosive temper; much like the other redheads in her family. However she could be far less tolerant and forgiving than a number of her cousins. This was why many a man who dared to offer her unwanted attention, ended up unconscious at her feet. Lily wasn't one to suffer fools, take her neighbour for example.

Satine Zabini was one of three reasons Lily was having such an awful day. The bitch had the audacity to call the authorities because a potions mishap accidently damaged one measly branch of her bloody pear tree. Never mind the fact that half Lily's lab had been blown to smithereens costing her hundreds of galleons of damage. The building needed to be rebuilt and her stock of ingredients needed to be replaced. Half the stuff had to be ordered in especially from other continents. Even if Lily pulled the Potter card it would be weeks or maybe months before her supply would be replenished, and that would be a waste of valuable time.

The fact that the potion which exploded was one she'd been working on for months was the other reason Lily was so pissed off. So Lily wasn't in the best frame of mind when her former classmate came to berate her. Admittedly Lily could have been politer but the way Satine had been going on about it; you'd expect the bloody pear tree to be solid gold. Lily had tried to be reasonable and had offered to pay for the damage by replacing the damn thing, but the vindictive bitch was having none of it. Frankly Lily thought Satine should be grateful that she still had her limbs intact; Lily was sorely tempted to rectify that but alas, it would be traced back to her and she'd have to deal with her father's disappointment- not something she enjoyed. But the temptation to maim her neighbour only grew when Satine ranted on about how Lily and her potions were a danger to the community, and how she should be forced to move away from the neighbourhood.

Lily, not liking the other woman to begin with, felt no guilt when she proudly played the Potter card. Since no one at the Ministry of Magic was willing to go against the Chosen One's only daughter. All they'd done was ask her to be more careful in future and reinforce the walls of her potions lab. Since Lily planned to do that anyway, she didn't mind the request. The last thing she needed was for her lap to blow up again. The expense and interruption of her schedule was an inconvenience. When the authorities left they hadn't even asked her to replace the damaged property. Lily's victory over her neighbour was bitter sweet since she still had to repair the damage her potion had done to her property.

Lily took a large swig of her drink as she tried to take her mind off the fact she would be joining her parents for a pub lunch in a half hours time. That was the third reason she was in such a foul mood. After she'd dealt with her neighbour a stag patronus appeared and spoke in her father's voice, asking her to meet them at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. Being a dutiful daughter, Lily turned up even though she knew her housemates wouldn't thank her for it later. Her day better pick up soon or she'd be driving them all to murder later; especially since she didn't have her potion's lab to retreat to.

Her relationship with her mother was particularly strained at present. They both had different ideas about what Lily should be doing with her life. Ginny Potter was in no way impressed by Lily's choices in life. She didn't like that she'd chosen to be sorted into Slytherin over Gryffindor, nor did she particularly like Lily's choice in friends, Lysander Scamander being the exception.

Ginny even had something to say about Lily's career in potion mastery. The occupation was too isolated; there was no way she'd find someone half decent to settle down with. As if Lily wanted to settle down just yet. She was twenty-six years old for Merlin's sake. However, she was also the only one of Molly and Arthur Weasley's grandchildren, who was not married with children.

Lily was happy to keep it that way for a few years yet. She loved children, as long as they were related her and she got to hand them back at the end of the day, but she wasn't ready to settle down just yet as she wanted to concentrate on her career. That and she hadn't dated a man she could tolerate being in the same room with for long. Considering Lily was happy with her situation in life but her mother wasn't, whenever the two red-haired women got together it tended to end in disaster, hence the firewhiskey Lily was gulping like fruit punch. Lily placed her empty glass on the bar and massaged her temples. Thinking about her mother made her head hurt.

"This one is on the house." The barmaid informed Lily as she placed another drink in front of her without being asked. Lily glanced up at the blonde-haired woman and tipped her head in thanks. The woman paused as she regarded the redhead, as if contemplating whether daring to speak, was worth the verbal tongue lashing Lily was capable of. Lily really wished the woman wouldn't bother trying to talk to her; Lily was in the mood for drinking, not talking. It was decent of the other woman to give her the drink, but that didn't make her want to spill her guts out.

To Lily's dismay, family loyalties won out and she voiced her opinion. "Look I know we've never been close and that hasn't changed much since I married your cousin, but if you need to talk about anything I'm here to listen. And you don't need to worry about whatever you say getting back to any of your family. Listening to people's problems and keeping their trust is sort of in the job description."

Lily arched a crimson brow. She respected the girl's courage as she knew not many people were brave enough or foolish enough to approach her in her present state. There was no doubt in Lily's mind that many a stressed or depressed witch and wizard had taken her up on the offer, but Lily wasn't going to be one of them. It was rule number one; don't talk about your feelings, they make you appear weak. "Thanks for the drink but I'll pass." Lily replied and watched the blonde sigh.

Cordelia chose not to take offense and turned to another customer. She, Lily and Lily's cousin Hugo had been childhood playmates before they'd attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Then they had been sorted into different Houses, Cordelia had joined Hufflepuff, Hugo had been chosen for Gryffindor and Lily had been made a Slytherin like her elder cousins Molly and Lucy. Even before then, the girls had never really bonded despite their fathers' efforts. They were just too different. Cordelia thought the redhead too volatile with a tendency to frown too much, while Lily found the blonde annoyingly happy, bustling about on her never ending supply of energy.

Their relationship hadn't changed much after Cordelia had married Hugo, although Lily seemed to tolerate being around her when family gatherings forced them together. In fact, the Slytherin only started to warm to her after the birth of her twin sons Russell and Robbie. Hugo assured her that it was just Lily being Lily, but Cordelia couldn't help but feel the redhead was a little strange and distant for a Potter/Weasley. Nevertheless, she seemed genuinely fond of the boys and was always willing to babysit at a moment's notice. Cordelia couldn't complain with that.

From the corner of her eye Cordelia saw a man approach Lily. Only a fool would try and hit on her in her present mood. Considering the leer the man wore as he approached his target, Cordelia cringed and prepared for the worse.

X

Lily took a sip of her drink and crossed her legs. At the action, the large split in her dress scissored revealing the bare skin of her legs. Lily blamed the fashion of today. Although apart from the slit her dress featured, her fashion of dress would be deemed positively medieval by Muggle standards and was similar to those worn in Muggle fairytale films- it was considered the height of fashion by modern witches. Besides, it was a damn sight better than the robes her parent's wore at her age. Lily found the slit to be a nuisance, although it did allow her easy access to her wand that was holstered to her thigh. If it kept falling that way though, Lily was going to start shocking the hell out of her family and friends by wearing Muggle clothing.

With a sigh Lily began to correct her dress. From behind her, Lily heard the heavy footsteps of a man purposefully heading in her direction. Instantly on her guard, her hand hovered over the position of her wand while her back straightened. She didn't expect too much trouble since the bar was full of families, but one could never be too careful. She'd been known to hex a few of her would be admirers in the past, since that was common knowledge, it wouldn't shock the other customers if the approaching male didn't remain on his feet long. Considering this, she wondered why they continued to bother.

"What a great pair of legs you have there! What time do they open?" A raspy male voice sounded from behind her in a sickeningly seductive tone.

Normally the sleazebag would already be sporting a bloody nose or would be on all fours having fallen under the weight of his inflating tongue; however Lily recognised the man's voice. It was that reason alone that she held back the spell.

Her insides went cold. Lily drained her glass empty and swivelled lazily in her chair to regard him coldly. "What the hell do you want Avery?" she demanded, her hazel eyes narrowing as she came face to face with the gaunt former Slytherin leering at her. Gilbert Avery was not a threat by himself, but where he went, Pollux Montague and Mikhail Dolohov weren't far. Montague was a brainless oaf just like Avery, but Dolohov was a real threat. Although Lily hadn't had a run in with the older Slytherin since she was thirteen, it didn't quell the need for caution whenever she ran into one of his stooges. To say Mikhail Dolohov wasn't one of her favourite people was a drastic understatement- she despised the sadistic bastard. Her eyes scanned to room carefully and only returned to the man in front of her once she knew Dolohov was nowhere to be seen. Lily was able to relax.

Avery stepped forward seeming unconcerned that Lily was reaching for the nine-inch ebony wand holstered to her thigh. A second passed and Avery was still standing. Lily found herself hesitating and was embarrassed and shocked to realise her reason for staying her wand. Any mess resulting from the aftermath of a confrontation would have to be cleaned up by Cordelia, who wouldn't appreciate the task. Lily didn't know how the perky blonde had done it, but Lily was fighting her instinct to attack because she knew she would feel guilty about adding to the other woman's workload. When the hell had that happened? It must be because the woman was a blonde; Lily thought ruefully. She had a real weakness for blondes. Not that she would admit it to anyone other than herself.

Lily was still in a state of shock when Avery spoke again. "I have a few suggestions in mind." He hinted and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Lily felt her stomach churn unpleasantly when she realised he wasn't trying to creep her out, but was actually hitting on her.

The git's claw-like hand reaching to feel her up snapped her out of it. "Touch me Avery and I will snap off your fingers and force them down your throat." Lily threatened. It wouldn't be too difficult; the man was built like a skeleton and probably had less upper body strength than her nieces and nephews.

"You haven't changed much have you?" Avery retorted, not bothering to hide his smirk. "You've always been one to overestimate your capabilities."

Lily snorted as her eyes flashed dangerously. He was one to talk about overestimating his capabilities. He was useless without Dolohov and Montague by his side. He was very much a follower and had no creative bone in his body. The man couldn't even muster up a decent Cruciatus curse for Merlin's sake. She knew that from firsthand experience from when she was a first year and he a fifth. Although that was fifteen years ago, she doubted his skill had improved much.

"Just try it and you'll see exactly what I am and am not capable of." Lily dared, her tone becoming dark and dangerous.

Avery disregarded her warning. He was under the false impression that because she hadn't struck out yet, she wouldn't. He was incorrectly confident that his audience was keeping him safe. He met the startled gaze of the barmaid who quickly looked away. "Perhaps some other time Potter. I have something more pleasant in mind. How about I take this empty seat and share a few of the things I'd like to do to you."

Lily was finding her temper less easy to control. She flexed her fingers to keep them from her wand. If she wasn't careful her efforts to keep the place clean would be for naught. "I'd rather be locked in a room with Gilderoy Lockhart. Even he would contribute to a more intelligent conversation than you."

Avery's cat-like cackle escaped his lips and the sound made Lily cringe. "Play nice now. How about you stop being difficult and ask me out. I know you want to."

Lily fought the urge to gape at the man for the insinuation. How dare he come and make an already bad day even worse? With it in the back of her mind not to spill his blood, Lily's sarcastic nature came to light. "How did you know? I always thought I managed to keep my desire for you secret. I never dreamed that I was so transparent; if I had known that you knew, then I would have quit playing hard to get years ago. I would have told you then what I'm telling you now… get out!"

Avery who had begun to look very pleased with himself, suddenly realised he was being made fun of. "That's not very nice of you." He pointed out thickly.

Lily rolled her eyes. She was seriously growing tired of this playing nice malarkey. It didn't seem worth the hassle. Hell, she would even clean up the mess herself if it came to it. "That was me being nice," she corrected cattily, "but I guess I could say: get out… _please_!" she forced out even though it went against her nature to exchange pleasantries with the fool.

"Lily-"

Lily's vision turned red. She was suddenly on her feet, her three inch heels making her almost equal height with the male. Survival instincts finally kicking in, Avery took several steps backwards. "Don't call me Lily. We're not friends. Never have been and never will be so don't even try it. If you have to talk, think or dare I say… dream about me. Then you refer to me as Potter. Do you understand?"

Avery held his hands up in front of him. He began stammering his response but Lily had lost all patience with him. Wands were reached for and Lily sent the man to the floor with a powerful knock-out jinx. It was the first spell Lily could think of that would cause as little disruption to the pub as possible. Lily stared down at the man with smug satisfaction before returning to her spot at the bar as if nothing had happened. If people stared and gawked at her, she didn't notice, nor did she care.

This time a Butterbeer waited for her. It wasn't exactly her drink of choice but it wouldn't do for her to be half-cut when she met up with her parents; especially since it was so early in the day.

Cordelia motioned for her younger brother Frankie to take out the trash; the trash being Avery's limp body, and then offered Lily a appreciative smile; it was her turn to offer her thanks. She knew what the redhead was capable of and although she was unaware of the reason Lily kept her temper reigned in, she was grateful for it.

Lily sipped her offered drink without further comment. There was no way she was going to admit to the woman that she'd grown fond of her somewhere along the line. It would do some serious damage to her reputation.

X

Mikhail Dolohov leant against the wall outside the Leaky cauldron, getting increasingly frustrated when Gil didn't turn up. He wasn't the sort of man who was kept waiting and his impatience increased with every second that ticked by. His mind swam with images of what he'll like to do to the worthless excuse of a wizard when he finally got his hands on him; even Pollux would have a hard time talking him out of it.

Moments later the back door to the pub swung open; Frankie Longbottom walked out levitating Avery from the premises and lowered him onto a bench. Scowling since the reason the man was supposed to be meeting him was so that they could work out some finer points to their plan; he wondered if the fool had let something slip that had gotten him into trouble.

Once Frankie re-entered the pub without as much as glancing their way, he stepped forward, knowing that his companion would follow him without instruction. Approaching the bench, Mikhail fisted the fabric of Avery's tunic with one hand and cast a revival spell which wasn't as effective as Mikhail would have liked. "I swear if that big mouth of yours has compromised our plans Gil, death will be too good for you." He promised shaking the man while Pollux looked on uncertainly.

Although hardly conscious, Avery realised the danger he was in. He tried to tell the man that he wouldn't betray him like that, but his brain refused to function properly. The only word that escaped his thin lips was 'Potter'.

Releasing the man so he fell back with a thud, his sallow eyes rolling back in his head as unconsciousness claimed him once more. Mikhail's lips fashioned a smirk. There was only one Potter that would have prevented Avery from joining them at the assigned time, and he couldn't blame the man because he would probably have done the same. Lily Potter always did offer good sport. Since Gil's unconscious state robbed him of taking out his anger on him, Mikhail quickly decided their plans could wait a while longer. Besides, Gil was useless at the present moment in time. "Avery will be out for a while. It's been years since I had the pleasure of talking to Lily Potter, let's go and reacquaint ourselves."

**Author's note**: So here is the first chapter of another Lily and Scorpius fanfiction and again it is a different portrayal of the characters. You should recognise a few characters from my other stories. Yes that was Delia from Snake Charmer but her relationship with Lily is far from that in Snake Charmer. What do you guys think of it so far?


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: **My thanks to everyone who reviewed and put this story on alert and/or added it to the favourites. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

**Chapter 2**

Mikhail Dolohov entered the Leaky Cauldron with the Pollux Montague several paces behind him. With his appearance every available witch between the age of sixteen and forty moved to make their presence noticed. Their body's moving into positions to best show off their figures. He smiled and winked at them while wondering if they would be eager to shag him if they knew how he got his kicks. It was fortunate he was well apt at memory modification spells when reason called for it.

As his vibrant blue eyes scanned the pub's occupants for his target, it didn't take him long to spot the woman at the bar. And what a woman she was. Her figure alone stopped men in their tracks, although the long emerald dress she wore showed only a glimpse of the body underneath. The long-sleeved bodice lovingly hugged her hourglass figure and the neckline revealed only a modest glimpse of her hefty cleavage. Still, it was enough to make his mouth water even before he sought her face. That she was in one of her rages was obvious but that made her all the more appealing.

She sat with her back to him, Mikhail knew what to expect despite the fact he hadn't come face to face with the woman in years. He'd only caught glimpses of her from afar and heard the reports from his two companions. Alabaster skin free of blemishes and freckles was the perfect setting for her symmetrical features. Sensual eyes enhanced by her anger, were the colour of damp moss accompanied by flecks of brown. They were heavily framed with thick crimson lashes that matched her waist length hair. Hair that was naturally tousled and gave the appearance she'd just crawled out of bed having spent the night being thoroughly worshiped. Even her full lips were enough to have a man's imagination run wild. Naturally settled in a pout, there was no way of stopping his mind flooding with images of them being wrapped around a very specific part of his anatomy. Oh how he wanted to get his hands on her.

It was a real shame that he hadn't bothered to keep his true self hidden from the beauty. His own behaviour in his teenage years had set him at a disadvantage when it came to the woman, not that he regretted what he had done to her. And in defence of his actions to her as a child, no one would have thought the scrawny redhead at eleven, by the age of twenty six would have blossomed into a creature worthy of a star role in every man's wet dream.

Their past was only an inconvenience which he needed to overcome since he doubted she would entertain his advances otherwise. Not that that would stop him. He'd have the redhead one day, he was sure of it, even if he had to take her by force. He would have done that at his earliest opportunity if he didn't find the challenge of wearing away her defences interesting. The thrill of the chase hadn't but him off before, and it only intensified his determination now. He loved to challenge himself in ways people thought impossible. He thought his greatest test to date were his plans almost ready to set in motion; but if that had been the case; he would have let the thought of the woman distract him. There would be no wiping her memory of him. He liked that she feared him, even though she was too prideful to admit it. How sweet the pleasure would be when he finally broke her; he almost came just thinking about it. Today was a good day, he told himself. Licking his lips with anticipation, Mikhail Dolohov zeroed in on his prey.

"Well, well, well! I didn't believe Pollux when he said Beast's pet had transformed into something worth looking at."

Lily hated the derogatory nickname people used for one of her closest friends, but instead of her temper flaring, Lily's insides went cold for the second time that day. There was no mistaking the identity of the person behind her. Lily struggled to keep the fear from her eyes as she rotated in her chair. Hazel eyes clashed with blue.

Today was a very bad day.

Lily found herself unable to look away from the man before her. To turn her back on Mikhail Dolohov was not a wise thing to do. She'd learned from an early age the man had no honour. He was just as likely to sneak up and attack from behind, as he was to face his victims fairly. Her mind screemed at her to be cautious.

The man was dangerous. Not that you would guess such a thing by the man's appearance. As usual he was smartly dressed in a dark grey tunic, off-white breeches and dragon-hide boots. His chin-length, jet-black hair, boyish features and startling deep blue eyes made the youngest Dolohov appear deceptively harmless. Hell, even she acknowledged the man was serious eye candy.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Cordelia blush as she stared at the man as if in a daze. It was so wrong the power Mikhail held over her gender. She heard the groans of disappointment coming from women around the room now that he had chosen her. They didn't know how lucky they were; the man was a sociopath; A clever bastard that kept his sadistic nature hidden. He even lacked the badass aura former Slytherins tended to exude in abundance.

Only those with intimate knowledge into the man's nature could truly understand how sick he was, that was if he allowed them to keep their memory. At school Lily had been one of his favourite victims. He'd left her memories in tact knowing that she wouldn't tell. Sometimes Lily wished he hadn't been so cruel, but at least with her memories intact, she knew to avoid him whenever possible.

Latent memories surfaced making it difficult to remain focused on the man before her.

_At eleven years old, a group of three Slytherin first years were strolling confidently down the stone corridors of Hogwarts. Lily stopped as the others kept on walking. "Crud. I left my notebook; I better go back and get it."_

_Two blonde-haired girls stopped and turned. "Do you want us to come back with you?" The taller of the two asked._

"_No thanks Andie, I'll be fine. We've been here a month now so I think I can find my way back without getting lost." Lily bit back but her smile was genuine._

_Andrea Goyle rolled her eyes and chuckled. _

"_Are you sure?" The other; Michaela Nott asked._

"_Yes, I'm quite sure, Mika. I won't be long; I'll meet you in the great hall for lunch in ten."_

"_Ok. See you later Lily." The girls carried on while Lily raced back to the Charms classroom, her book being exactly where she left it. She sighed in relief and slipped the treasured object into her bag. The book contained scribbling of the potion experiments she'd already begun. _

_Before she turned to leave, muffled footsteps alerted her to the fact she wasn't alone. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?"_

_The tone had her fisting her wand before she'd even turned to see who was there. They were three fifth years. Lily had seen the boys in the common room but had never spoken to them. Dressed in green and silver, the boy in the middle had the face of an angel while the other two were different extremes- one built like a giant; tall and stocky, the other shorter and emaciated. Any of the three alone would have intimidated her, banded together as they were, they terrified her; not that she's allow her fear to show. _

"_Let me past" She demanded with her wand aimed. Even at eleven, she knew this wasn't a time when she should let her guard down. She may not be as brave as her Gryffindor brother or as clever as her Ravenclaw one, but she was wily. She had to be, being the youngest in her family._

_The boy in the middle sneered down at her. "Who do you think you are turning your wand on me?" he said with a hint of surprise and amusement; as if this was the first time someone had gazed upon him and hadn't basked in his beauty and worshiped him like a god. _

_Lily's eyes darted cautiously to the boys on his flank. There was no way she could hold them off; physically they were stronger; they were all bigger and older than she was. But then, most people were and that had never stopped her from lashing out before; as her elder cousins could contend to. She supposed she could scream or call for help but she doubted anyone would be along the corridor. They would already be at the great hall. Chin lifting proudly, her piercing gaze unwavering, she replied with vehemence in her voice. "I'm Lily Potter. Now who are you?"_

_The boy sneered back at her. "That's irrelevant" The boy responded as he stepped forward into the room. "All you need to know is what we do to people like you." _

_Lily gulped. The starved looking boy went to lock the door and cast a silencing charm. She knew danger was imminent when they started to circle her like hungry wolves. All she could do was stand her ground, still refusing to let her fear show. "People like me?" she dared to ask._

_The three boys smirked to each other. "People who don't show us respect; people who think they actually stand a chance against up." _

"_Respect needs to be earned." Lily spat back which wasn't appreciated by the trio. They made their attack. The beautiful boy disarmed her with a flick of his wand, while the thuggish one came to grasp her with long ape-like arms. Acting on survival instinct, she managed to dodge his attack and he fell clumsily to the floor. The skeletal boy stood before her then. She kicked him hard in the skins and he crumpled. She ran to the door but it wouldn't open no matter how hard she tried; she didn't know the spell to unlock it. _

_Then the laughter came that sent chills down her spine._

"_You insolent bitch." The boy sneered as the other two got to their feet. Neither were pleased to be bested by an eleven-year-old girl. "Let me show you the meaning of pain." He vowed and pointed his wand at her. The jet of light hit her before she could move out of the way._

_The pain was so intense, Lily had never experienced anything as disabling as the Cruciatus curse. It consumed her thoughts until pain was all she could think off. It was like white-hot daggers piercing and scolding ever part of her skin, except with burns the pain stopped once the nerve tissue was damaged. With this, no nerves were destroyed and the pain was relentless. She screamed and screamed like she'd never done in her life. She couldn't stop herself, the pain was too much. Her voice grew hoarse but even then she screamed, the action shredding the back of her throat. _

_It was only when the boy got bored, that the pain stopped._

_She was on the floor unable to move. Every time she tried, she shook uncontrollably, her limbs too weak to support her. _

_The three boys stood around her. The beautiful one gazed at her without feeling or regret for what he'd done, while the other two eyed him in surprise. "What if she tells someone?" One of them asked. "Shall we modify her memory?"_

"_No she won't tell anyone. She has too much of the Potter pride. I want her to remember every second of that to teach her a lesson, otherwise how will she learn?" He replied before they left the room, leaving Lily alone on the floor unable to move. She couldn't recall blacking out but she awoke in the Hospital Wing hours later. She hated to hear the boy's words proved right; when questioned about what happened, her pride kept her from admitting the truth; she lied. She hated her pride for insisting that she kept what happened secret. She should have asked for help and not doing so was a weakness; it would be her downfall. She knew that but still she kept silent, hoping that if she stayed away from them, the memory would fade - she really was a fool._

_Despite her future efforts to avoid Mikhail Dolohov, he and his goons always found her. Sometimes it was just Mikhail casting the spell while the others watched; other times all three had a play. Each time she tried to fight them off, but each time she failed. She would wake up in the Hospital Wing after each attack but no matter what anyone said she wouldn't admit what was happening to her, nor would she identify the culprits. Knowing that they wouldn't get caught, it soon became a sport to Dolohov, Avery and Montague. The torture continued until a month before they graduated, she didn't know the reason for it but she was no less grateful. That was the day she swore they'd never hear her scream again. _

"You certainly turn a few heads looking like that."

The words brought her back from her tomb of memories. It wasn't a complement coming from someone like Pollux Montague; the man was a troll. Lily's eyes flashed in his direction. The disgusting way he looked her up and down made her want to take a shower and scrub the dirt away. How dare he say that? How dare all three of them approach her today? After what they had done to her, how dare they speak to her as if nothing had happened! She wanted to hurt them; sink her nails into their flesh; curse them; slam her knee into their groin and hear them suffer. Hell, she wanted to wring their necks until their last breath escaped them. She wouldn't though; no matter how much she wanted to. Not without proper provocation, something that would stand up in court so she could prove her actions were just. Her family would never forgive her if she was sent to Azkaban. Hell, they wouldn't forgive her if they ever found out what the trio had done to her - they would be disappointed in her and feel like they had let her down in some way; that she didn't trust them. Lily had kept her silence for too long, so she was screwed either way.

Lily's hand itched to strike and was almost disappointed when she recalled her surroundings. They were not alone, so it was unlikely they were here to cause too much trouble. Mikhail wouldn't want to ruin his façade of being… well, human. His true nature was only revealed when there were no witnesses. Besides, he didn't need to drop the nice-guy act to play on the psychological damage he had already inflicted. Lily clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood. She ignored the pain and tried to act casual, for her sake as well as her cousin's wife. She didn't want anyone to know how the man bothered her, not her friends and certainly and not her family.

She blinked and the furious haze that had almost consumed her lifted. What had he said to her again? Oh yeah. _You certainly turn a few heads looking like that. _The words made her skin crawl. The urge of flight overpowering her will to fight. How quickly her body's reaction to the sociopath changed.

"It's better than turning stomachs that's for sure. Tell me Montague, how do you stomach looking in the mirror each morning?" Lily quipped, trying her best to act her usual self. She didn't want them to know that their sudden presence now had her wanting to run in the opposite direction as fast as she could.

Mikhail laughed. "Still as feisty as ever I see. That mouth of yours always did get you into trouble." It unnerved her that his voice took such a flirtatious tone. It made her wonder what in Merlin's name he was up to. Nothing good, that was for sure.

"I have something that can keep it occupied." Pollux retorted suggestively, not wanting to be done over.

Lily fought the urge to be sick. What the hell was wrong with the men? Hitting on her after they made her first years at Hogwarts a living hell. "Oh my lucky day! Just what I always wanted."

Pollux's eyes widened at the scathing remark obviously not noticing the sarcasm. His lips parted revealing crooked yellow teeth. "Really?"

Lily didn't bother to hide the disdain from her face. "No. Seriously, how thick are you?" she stressed in frustration. That Mikhail was laughing was only a good sign. Better he find amusement in her berating his friends than this other pleasures; she resisted the urge to shiver at the thought.

"Pollux, go check on Gil and bring him back if he's conscious." Mikhail instructed and Pollux obeyed reluctantly. Mikhail didn't notice the other man's grudging departure as he slipped into the empty seat Avery had threatened to occupy. Lily knew which wizard she'd rather have seated there and it definitely wasn't Mikhail. Avery she could handle, Mikhail was a whole different ballgame. She wasn't prepared for another encounter with him, Merlin, would she ever be prepared? She doubted it. Every cell in her body was repelled by his; it was sheer stubbornness and pride that had her staying put. She was here first dammit! Maybe if she remained calm he would get bored and leave. A girl could hope, couldn't she?

"How about I buy you another drink?" he said, sliding his stool closer to Lily to make their position more intimate.

Lily tensed due to his closeness. "How about I buy you some morticaine? I'm sure it would appeal to your pallet. I can brew you a batch if they don't have it in stock?" Lily snapped back keeping her voice low.

Mikhail's burst of laughter was loud enough to attract people's attention. Lily felt the women direct their scowls in her direction. She despised the fact they thought her flirting with the fiend. "The perfect Potter princess playing around with poisons. What would your dear old daddy have say if he found out?" He teased.

Lily's smile was almost a snarl. "I guess that's a no. And here I was hoping that your desire to prove how inadequate and inferior I am at everything I do, would make you up for the challenge; such a shame." She didn't agree with poisoning people in general, it seems such a cowardly method, but then ridding the world of someone like Mikhail was more a public service than murder.

Mikhail's mouth twitched at the challenge in her tone, as if he was sorely tempted to take her up on the offer. He was as overconfident and superior as ever, she noticed with a smile; a smile that faded as soon as he slid his hand through the slit in her skirt and palmed her thigh. Lily froze and he took the opportunity to lean closer. She felt his warm breath caress the bare skin of her neck; it felt more like ice the way his nearness froze up her insides. "Can't we just put the past behind us gorgeous. I'll make you scream for entirely different reasons and I'll take great pleasure in making you happy." The last words were a lie but he added them for impact.

Visions of his cruel enjoyment at the expense of her suffering flashed through her mind. He began slipping his hand upwards. Lily's hand shot to halt is advances. With all her strength she pushed against his hand, shoving it off her. Her temper was ablaze at full force because there was no way she could play along with his façade any longer. Not when he so aptly reminded her of the pleasure he'd gained at seeing her suffer. She stood from her chair, the scrapping sound drawing the attention of the room's occupants. "I'm sure but the only way you can make me truly happy is by leaving. So what are you still doing here?"

Careful because of the amount of confused gazes they'd drawn, Mikhail resisted grabbing the woman's arm and dragging her off. Icy rage flared in his vibrant blue eyes as he glowered into her earthy orbs. She didn't flinch, nor did she hide her disdain for him like he'd expected. He'd relied too much on the fear he knew she was hiding. People started to mutter as the duo continued to stare down each other.

One man with sliver-blonde hair and grey eyes stepped out from the crowd. He took his place by the redhead, boldly draping his arm protectively over her shoulders; staking his claim. "I think what the lady is trying to say is- piss off."

Tension mounted in the room as everyone wondered who would make the next move and what it would be.

* * *

Thank you for reading. I'd love to know what you think about this so far.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

As customers watched the scene with bated breath, Avery and Montague re-entered the inn. Avery was a little worse for wear; embarrassed by being floored by a girl and anxious about what Mikhail would do to him for being late for their meeting. He'd honestly thought the other man would have come close to killing him if he hadn't offered him another form of entertainment. Luckily he'd had enough wits about him to mutter the wench's name before he passed out into oblivion once more, in hopes that Mikhail would be able to let off some of his steam on her before he had to face the man himself. That she had managed fire the jinx surprised him. Of course he'd heard about her habit of sending men to their knees but he hadn't believed half the rumours; she'd never been good with her wand- it was well known that potions were more her thing. His eyes narrowed menacingly at the redhead and he was eager to get his own bad; it was a matter pride. He cricked his neck, easing the tension there.

Lily didn't notice his gaze on her; her attention was divided between two men; the git in front of her and the man by her side. His arm was still draped around her shoulders. She held herself stiffly, unused to the contact; not that anyone other than Lily and the blonde sensed her discomfort.

Seeing their leader being confronted by Potter and the blonde, both stumbled to Dolohov's flank to make the numbers tip in his favour. Mikhail tore his gaze from the redhead to acknowledge his two stooges in turn. Amusement danced in Mikhail's eyes when his gaze returned to Lily; that was until another blonde identical to the first joined the fix.

Lily sought comfort by the twins support even with one of them still touching her and she desperately wanted to shrug him off. However, as much as she hated prolonged contact from anyone. She knew which one it was- Lysander; Lorcan wouldn't dare. She bore the familiarity only because it threw Mikhail off balance. His lips thinned as his disciplined composure began to crack.

Mikhail disliked the smug look on Potter's face now that she had her reinforcements; not that the Scamander twins concerned him in any way. But it did ruin his mood, especially since they had company. He cast a calculating gaze briefly over their audience. There were more people observing them than he would have liked. It made his options limited. He prided himself on being a genius, but he couldn't alter the memory of all those present; it was a physical impossibility. He quickly realised that no matter what transpired next, news of what happened would spread like Splattergroit. He couldn't afford to be the subject of gossip, not in the negative sense. He'd managed to avoid such a thing in his thirty years of life and he didn't intend to fall pray now. Besides, considering what he had planned, it wasn't smart to be seen in a confrontation now, especially not with the Chosen One's daughter.

Choosing to keep up appearances in favour of his desire to see the redhead squirm, he backed away. After all, he had far more pressing business to attend to and a reputation to uphold; as far as everyone was concerned he was all smiles and charm after all. "My apologies Miss Potter. I didn't mean for you to take offence." He said regretfully and loudly for the benefit of the onlookers. It was better he come across as another of Potter's rejections. It was likely to gain him some sympathy from the ladies. They could be very generous and creative while offering up their sympathy. Plus they'll all be talking about how arrogant and picky Lily Potter was if the like of Mikhail Dolohov wasn't good enough for her. From the way every woman stared speculatively at the redhead and their quiet murmurs as they shook their heads; his plan was working.

Lily grinded her teeth as she held the conniving bastards gaze; not that she cared what people thought about her. People loved the opportunity to look down at her; it made them feel better about themselves for some reason. She bit her bottom lip as she decided on her next move. Oh he was clever, she'd give him that, but two could play at that game. She knew which buttons to press. He'd hate for his moral standards to be called into question; anything that would compromise the fake reputation he had managed to build. Although physical contact with anyone- even her friend- made her tense; she slipped her arm possessively around Lysander's waist and leaned in to his embrace; knowing that he wouldn't read in to it and it would irritate the bastard.

Mikhail's lips turned into a snarl. He disliked the new take on the situation; people would see him in meddling in other people's relationships and that wasn't the sort of attention he liked to attract. He had to pretend to have morals at least. Eyes flashing dangerously after being bested by such a simple action, he refused to leave it there; he needed the upper hand in this. He held his hand out for Lysander Scamander to shake, an apologetic gesture to convey there were no hard feelings.

Silver-blonde eyebrows raised towards his hairline as Lysander considered the offered hand. He cocked his head to the side to try and gage Lily's expression. Unfortunately she didn't look his way so he had to wing it. Not entirely sure what was going on, but understanding Lily didn't want the younger of the Dolohov siblings anywhere near her, Lysander shook his hand in an attempt to get him to clear off quickly.

Dolohov's voice was low enough not to be overheard but the warning was there. "I'm bored now. See you when your lapdog isn't around." He said and directed a condescending glance towards Lily and the Scamander twins. Lily withheld a shudder. She'd avoided the man for thirteen years; surely she could make it another thirteen years without running into him again.

Lysander may not know the detail of what had transpired, but he heard the threat and responded. His muscles tensed and he made a step towards the older male. Feeling a gentle squeeze his waist, prevented him from shoving the man's threats where they belonged.

"I look forward to it. Buh-bye." Lily said and forced a smile. Mikhail held her gaze a moment longer before turning on his heel and strutting out of the bar, Montague and Avery followed obediently, much to Lily's relief. Finally that part of her disaster of a day was over.

Lily sighed when she felt the gazes of their audience leave her. Many of the single women were pleased with the knowledge that Mikhail would not be getting mixed up the likes of her. Others were speculation about the fact Lily seemed to be involved with the twin brother of her cousin's husband, while others were relieved that the incident had ended peacefully. Now that she was no longer being watched, Lily pinched the middle finger of his hand now resting on her shoulder, forcing his hand to lift as she directed it off her shoulder. Her body relaxed as soon as the contact ended. Lily had never been one to indulge in unnecessary physical contact, despite being part of the Weasley/Potter clan who were always finding excuses to hug and pat each other on the back. Her smile was less forced as she leant against the bar with the Scamander twins as company, the aura radiating from her warning them that she did not want to talk about what happened.

That didn't surprise Lysander one bit. He often found that Slytherins were reluctant to make their concerns known, not that that prevented him from attempting to squeeze the information he wanted out of them. Since he both worked and lived with former Slytherins, he had a lot of experience dealing with them, especially this one. "Thanks for saving by butt there Ly, I'm so glad you were here – No problem Lily, you know I'm always here for you – I know that and because you are so amazing, as a reward I'm going to let you in on what was going on." Lysander teased throwing his voice in a poor imitation of him and Lily having a conversation.

Lily frowned and crossed her arms in front of her while Lorcan rolled his eyes at his twin brother's usual tactic for getting information out of Lily Potter. It worked occasionally, but when she was trying so hard not to reduce him to ashes. The redhead was too cautious about what she said to people; even her friends- as if fearing to reveal her vulnerabilities, even to those who cared about her.

"Putting words in my mouth Ly? That's not like you." Lily scolded but there was tiredness about her actions as she climbed onto the bar stool that worried Lysander. He didn't know what had passed between Lily and Mikhail but there was definitely history there; history that his friend didn't want to share but he sensed it was too important for him not to know. The only way to get that kind of information from her was to provoke her infamous anger. That way she concentrated so much on not killing him that she often let her guard down. It was a dangerous task, amusing, but dangerous nonetheless. However, someone had to save the redhead from imploding from her own troubles and secrets.

Knowing very well that his next move may get him maimed or worse, Lysander began his taunting. "It's better than what they seemed to want to put in your mouth."

Lily's nostril flared and eyes narrowed into slits, her whole body tensed and mouth twitched as she contemplated whether casting a curse to temporarily close up every one of his orifices would count as attempted murder; her godmother may never forgive her; maybe she should just close up his mouth. Lysander loved to push her limits and had gone too far this time. Lily decided as she acknowledged the man was pretty dim for a Ravenclaw. She kept her arms tight around herself so not to strike out. The fact that he had helped her get rid of Dolohov was the only reason he stood completely unscathed, Cordelia Weasley and her bloody pub be damned. "I'd rather do without the imagery thank you very much." Lily said, her tone warning the blonde that it would be wise to leave the subject alone. There was no way she was going to spill the secrets of her childhood. She was going to lock them away in her subconscious and try to pretend they never happened.

Lorcan sensed the danger and wanted no part in it. He loved his brother and Lily, he really did. But there was no way he was going to be there when her temper snapped. If his brother had any sense he would leave the subject alone. But then, his brother was reckless for a Ravenclaw, it was a wonder he hadn't been made a Gryffindor.

"And on that note I'll leave you. I need to pick up the kids from their grandparent's." He announced. Lily nodded but her narrowed gaze remained focused on Lysander, However Lysander looked betrayed at his twin's abandonment- where was the family loyalty? Lorcan sighed and refused to allow his brother to persuade him to stay. His mother-in-law was more than happy to watch the twins for an immeasurable amount of time as long as they didn't destroy her books; however her husband found the four a handful and would likely be tearing his hair out as they spoke. "Rose wanted me to mention that she's thinking of popping by tomorrow lunchtime with the kids. If that is okay with you?" he added uncertainly. After the bad day she was clearly having, he wasn't certain she would welcome the visit.

Lily did however welcome being distracted from her intense urge to maim one of her best friends; she'd feel guilty about it in the morning if she hurt him. "That's fine Loran. Ask her to bring the little imps to the house and not my lab as usual. I'll make sure I'm in."

As Lorcan and Lily quickly made their arrangements, Lysander listened curiously. Everyone knew that Lily spent the large majority of her time in her potions lab. The woman even had a bed there for when she felt her creations needed close observations. There was even a small living space away where she received gusets. "What's wrong with the lab?"

Lily shifted in her chair uncomfortable by the question. "You'll find out when you get home." Lily offered vaguely.

It was Lysander's turn to glare daggers. "Right, well I better be off." Lorcan said decisively and left to rescue his in-laws before either Lily or Lysander noticed his exit. The duo didn't even notice the wary glances other customers now sent their way.

"You blew it up again didn't you?" he accused, coming to stand in front of Lily.

Lily would have normally rejoiced her triumph but she didn't want Lysander to know she was purposely directing the conversation away from unpleasant subjects. "Technically it was more my potion than me."

Lysander's eye began to twitch at her blasé response. He brought his fingers up to massage his temples. This was not the first time Lily had blown up her lab. "Please tell me the house is intact."

"Is that all you care about? I tell you my potion blew up my lab and you ask about the house."

"I have to live in that house." He shouted, his voice reaching an octave that attracted attention, reminding them they were not alone.

Lily winced and massaged her ears. They weren't used to that kind of abuse, especially not from Lysander. Folding her arms in front of her, Lily gave him a levelled look. "Yes, and it's not only me you have to live with." She reminded.

Lysander winced. It was one thing him trying to get what he wanted from the redhead, it was quite another when he considered his other housemates. They would be more sympathetic to his plight and may even help him discover what was between Lily and Mikhail, if he wasn't one to add to Lily's dark mood. Out of all those living there, Lily was the one that could have the most dramatic affect on the ambiance. When she was miserable, they all were. It wasn't that she intentionally meant for them to share her misery, they just didn't like seeing her that way. "Right, yeah. So you've had a bad day then?"

"Seriously bad."

Lysander snorted when she failed to elaborate. Maybe he should push her for information. He could always crash at his parent's house for a week to avoid the backlash from his housemates for what he was about to do- if it went wrong. He needed to gather information in order to help her; being a Slytherin she'd never admit she needed help. Now he knew nothing about Mikhail but he did now a little about his elder brother Nikolia; something he was sure Lily didn't know he knew. Hopefully the surprise would loosen her tongue. "I can see how running in with little Dolohov is less appealing than his brother. Don't you agree?" he hinted suggestively.

Lily blanched and felt her chest tighten at the mention of Mikhail's elder brother; the two men were polar opposites and it was easy to forget that they were related. Since Lily had had nothing to do with Mikhail for the past thirteen years, she'd found it easy for forget about the familial connection between her Potion's mentor and her enemy. They had sort of dated for a while, before her underlining feelings for another had gotten in the way. Feelings that she still hadn't acted on, nor did she intend to doing so. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked cautiously; wondering how much he knew. She dropped her arms to her side, her intention being to not appear defensive.

"I mean he mentored you in more than your Potion Master apprenticeship, if you know what I mean?" Lysander stated and shrugged, hiding his pleasure that he'd managed to catch her off guard.

Hazel eyes widened in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"Don't be coy, Lily. I've lived with you for six years and my room overlooks your potions lab. There was no way I could avoid finding out. What with you two getting down and dirty right there among the-"

Lily's hands quickly covered his mouth to get him to stop, it was better than reaching for her wand. She really hoped her cheeks were not as red as they felt. She was too shocked that he knew about the one relationship she ever tried to keep secret, to be angry at him. Besides she was smart enough to know his game; they'd played it often enough. He would provoke her anger in order to get information out of her and she would pretend his tactics worked, allowing him to offer advice and solutions for her problems without having to ask. She wouldn't talk about Mikhail but she was willing to let it play out. At least it would keep her mind off things until her parents turned up. "I get your point Ly. I suck as discretion. I hope you're better than I because there is no way I want anyone to know about Niki and I."

Lysander laughed. "You're a couple of years too late. Hey, don't look at me like that. It's not like I told Mika. She worked it out herself and demanded to know if anyone else was in the know. So naturally Caleb and Andie found out. I'm not sure if Scorpius or Stephanie worked it out. But I'd assume they did if I were you. But since none of us are likely to mention it to anyone else, I think you're safe. Especially since it has been over between you two for what- eighteen months now?"

Lily huffed at the revelation. "And you couldn't leave me ignorant that you knew?" she complained.

"Where's the fun in that?" Lysander smirked.

Lily gave an exasperated sigh at his superior tone. "Since you seem to be enjoying yourself so much, why don't you meet up with my mother instead of me? She seems to like you more than me."

Lysander struggled to stop the smile from showing. He failed but Lily appreciated his efforts. "Is she still trying to get you to settle down?" he asked and continued when the withering look she shot his way confirmed his suspicions. "Maybe you need her help since your taste in men leaves much to be desired- Nikolai Dolohov, Tristan Bole, Jedd Lympsham and who was the latest one. You know Stephanie's half brother; the one Rose used to have a thing for before she saw sense and married my brother."

Lily shook her head when he listed off her Ex-s. It wasn't a long list but that wasn't surprising. There were few people she could tolerate for long. Even her best friends were hard for her to deal with from time to time; as Lysander was proving. "Now who's playing coy? You had that fling with his sister as I recall. Satine was a demon before that and now she's the neighbour from hell. I think the less said about her the better."

From Lily tone it was evident that something had happened between the two women recently, he'd leave the questioning of that for another day. "Ah yes, sweet Satan." Lysander mused; his eyes glazing over as the memories came flooding back. The little hellion knew how to have a good time.

Lily slapped him on the upside of his head to regain his attention. "Precisely! So it is fair to say that both our tastes suck, but my mum's idea of the ideal guy for me isn't much better. Do you know she had the audacity to try and set me up with Joel Finch-Fletchley."

"I remember Joel. He was in my year- nice guy." Lysander began then paused when he realised what that meant. He had great respect for Ginny Potter, but setting her daughter up with a Hufflepuff wasn't a bright thing to do. "Merlin! Doesn't she know you eat guys like that for breakfast? Please tell me you at least pretended to be someone other than yourself. There is no way a Hufflepuff could handle you without being emotionally scarred for life."

A ghost af a smile toyed with her lips as she finally found some amusement today. Lily couldn't disagree with his words. There were only three Hufflepuffs Lily could tolerate and even liked. All three were married to her cousins, one being her father's godson Teddy Lupin who she regarded a brother, the others being Delia and Lucy's husband- Christian Vane. "Well he certainly wasn't looking for a second date, that's for sure." She admitted, thankful that she had managed to distract Lysander sufficiently from her quest.

"I'll bet. Just what did you do to him?" Lysander wanted to know.

Lily combed her fingers through her luxurious red-wine hair and twirled a curl around her finger. "What makes you think I just wasn't his type?"

Lysander placed his hand on her shoulder so she would listen. "Lily I know you like to act all badass and everything. But the way you look, I don't think there's a man out there who'd say you weren't his type. You're like Jessica Rabbit in the flesh. Hell, they'd even be willing to put up with your crap if they got to wake up next to you every morning."

Lily rolled her eyes and quickly shrugged his hand off her shoulder. She didn't pretend to know what he was on about. "Jessica Rabbit?"

"She's a Muggle cartoon character which was voted the sexiest cartoon character of all time."

Lily shook her head gently. "Let's just pretend I didn't take that as an insult. At least I'm not your type." Lily announced. They may have acted more than friends in front of Mikhail but there was nothing other than friendship between Lily and Lysander. They'd snogged years ago but the lack of chemistry between them hadn't encouraged them to try going any further than the odd chaste kiss he inflicted on her every now and then.

"True. But I'm the exception. So what did you do to him?"

"He was so annoying thought me incapable of opening a damned door, then he held out the chair for me. I managed to stay my hand until he announced that he'd already ordered from the menu for me without knowing what I liked. What do you think I did to him?" Lily explained, getting irritated as she recollected the incident.

Lysander's laughter filled the room. It took him a while to regain control but Lily waited to hear his opinion, knowing she wouldn't agree with it. "I believe he was trying to act a gentleman and impress you. Only a Slytherin would punish him for that." Lily couldn't argue with that, nor could she see that she'd done anything wrong. "You're an aberration you know that?"

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked to change the subject. She knew she was strange for a Potter, people told her that every day, she didn't need reminding.

Lysander didn't comment on the swift change in topic. He acknowledged his plan had failed but then he had plenty of time to work on her in the future. "I was actually on the way home to find you." He conceded. "Mika has some news to share with us all and she wants to meet here around two. If your meal with your family runs after that it will be easy to explain that you'll join us later. We'll be at our usual table of course. It must be important since Scorpius will be coming and you know how rarely he ventures here."

Lily cocked her head and looked up at the blonde intrigued that Scorpius would be joining them in public. It wasn't often that the man ventured anywhere other than Malfoy Manor or the house Lily shared with Lysander and a few others. Plus if Mika had important news to share, then she wouldn't let her friend down. "I don't know if I'll be much company after lunch with my mother but I'll be there regardless." Lily replied and Lysander sent her a that's-my-girl smile.

At the mention of her mother, Ginny Potter walked into the Leaky cauldron with her husband, two sons and Teddy. They caught her eye and motioned to table which had been saved for them. Lily stepped away from the bar. "I better go. I can't keep mummy and daddy waiting." Lily sighed. "And you better go before my mother tries to play matchmaker for us." She warned in all seriousness.

"You're years too late. Our parents have been talking about it for years." Lysander laughed.

"If only you didn't know how much of a sarcastic bitch I can be." Lily teased to hide her cringe at the idea.

"That I could handle, it's the other men drooling over you that would drive me insane." He admitted and kissed her on the cheek. She didn't flinch but when he made the move to hug her, the glare stopped him. Having arms wrapped around her, even for such a brief period of time made her feel trapped. She avoided that feeling wherever possible.

"Stop over exaggerating, it's rather tiresome." She said, disregarded his insinuation that men considered her attractive, before she left to join her parents and brothers. She wasn't looking forward to it. However the sooner she joined them, the sooner the meal ended and the sooner she could join her friends and find out what Mika wanted to share with them.

**So it wasn't Scorpius earlier but you will meet him soon. This will be the last update for a while since I have too much work and a couple of holidays coming up. Thank you for reading, I hope you choose to review :)**


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